Anatomy of a CHEF

Do you have what it takes to be a chef?

Chefs obviously need a taste for flavour combinations and impeccable hygiene standards, but what other skills are necessary to be a success in the kitchen?

Octopus-like multitasking

Most people can fry an egg. Most people can stick some hash browns in the oven. Most people can butter some toast.

However, when it comes to bringing all of these things together – plus bacon, plus tomatoes, plus mushrooms, plus sausages, plus black pudding, etc. – most people start to make mistakes.

Even with simple dishes such as the Full English Breakfast, the ability to multitask is integral.

Now imagine being tasked with putting together dozens of different meals from scratch every hour. You might need to move your two hands as if they were eight.

A potty mouth

What do Gordon Ramsay, Marco Pierre White and Peter Russell-Clarke have in common?

They’re all excellent chefs.

… They also all have reputations for being outrageous potty mouths.

Is there a correlation between number of curse words known and quality of chef? No, but it can help to let off some steam.

Those guys may have taken the swearing a little too far, but it is important to be heard and command respect from your fellow kitchen staff.

Asbestos hands

In the past, firefighters would wear gloves insulated with a poisonous crystalline fire resistant material called asbestos, for protection against burns.

Chefs have never needed those gloves. Their hands themselves are practically fire resistant. Years of handling piping hot dishes and searing grill pans will do that to ya!

Flexible knees

Working in the kitchen is far more physical than most people imagine.

Stamina

Some chefs are known to work ridiculously long shifts, often 10-14 hours a day, seven days a week.

These demanding, high-stress shifts may sound daunting but they prove that cheffing is more than just a profession: it is a path to becoming a master craftsman. Chefs are passionate about food and they treasure their integrity. They require stamina, lots and lots and lots of stamina, but those who persevere can reap the rewards.

After all (even if the wages do not necessarily match the hours put in) how many people actually get paid to practice their passions?

Find work as a CHEF

If all of the above sounds too familiar, or if it sounds like a challenge you’d like to embark on, then you’re ready for the good news.

JOB TODAY is the fastest-growing social hiring platform and we have thousands of chef jobs ready for you to apply for.

Remember: 74% of job matches happen within 24 hours. All you have to do is download the app and create a profile – you’ll be done in a matter of minutes – then you can start applying for chef jobs today!